Monday, March 18, 2013

Stories ~ Part 3

Last week I talked about WHY we should share our God-stories. You can read part 1 and part 2 if you missed them.Also, if you would like to share YOUR story I would love to have you be a guest on my blog. Get in touch for details. :)**********Today I want to talk about the reasons that people don't share their stories. They are all things that I heard as I asked people to share. Maybe you will hear yourself in one of them.

REASONS PEOPLE DON'T SHARE THEIR TESTIMONY

1.I don’t have a
testimony because I’ve been a Christian since I was five.

I was five when I
asked Jesus into my heart. I have a still shot of that moment with mom so clear
in my memory. I remember once, when I was about twenty, telling someone that I
didn’t think I had a testimony because I had always been a Christian. The
person I had told that to definitely had a story to share and she said to me “I
think the fact that you have been a Christian all your life and REMAINED a
Christian is one of the greatest testimonies. I WISH I had your testimony. But
don’t ever think you don’t have one because people need to know that that it is
possible… to be a Christian and remain a Christian.”

2.I have nothing
interesting to say.

I’m pretty sure
that any story that has to do with God is interesting. If Jesus saved you that alone is something worth shouting about!

3.I don’t have
anything to share that would help others.

Let’s let God
decide that. I know very little about most of you. I have no idea
who my story might touch... and neither do you. We don't know the struggles that others have gone through or are going through right now. Your story may be just what they need.

4.Afraid that if
people knew about my past they would judge me or no longer like me.

That’s their
problem. God has forgiven you and if he tells you to share your story then you need to share it. If anything, knowing you now as a Christian and
then hearing about the past you had before I knew you gives greater evidence of
who God is because I find that when that situation happens I look at my friends
in shock saying “NO WAY! You are nothing like that at all today! God is
GOOOOOD!”

5.Shame.

Psalm 32:1-2

Blessed
is the onewhose transgressions are forgiven,whose sins are covered. Blessed
is the onewhose
sin the Lord does not count against themand in whose spirit is no deceit.

Don’t be ashamed
of who you were… be proud of who you are!

6.If I shared my
story it would scare everyone.

Have you read the
Bible? It’s full of murder, deceit, adultery, idol worship and on and on and
on. That’s the story of God’s family. He didn’t hide those stories that weren’t
so pretty… neither should you!

Those are excuses I've heard over the past few weeks. What is your excuse for not sharing your God-stories?